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NorthPaws Name Francis Head Coach

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KAMLOOPS, BC—The Kamloops NorthPaws didn’t have to look far when searching for their newest head coach.
Original article written by Larry Read.

Just days after learning that Brian Anderson had taken a job with NCAA Div I Northwestern University (Illinois), The NorthPaws have named Keith Francis as the third head coach in the teams history.

Francis and Anderson have been working with the Pima Community College Aztecs (National Junior College Athletics Association) in Arizona. Both were looking to come north to Kamloops for the Westcoast League season in early June. Francis had committed to being Anderson’s assistant. He was Anderson’s coach in high school.

“I am looking forward to the coming season,” he says. “My teams are aggressive and play the right way. I never play the other team. If you play the game and play the right way, usually good things come your way. It’s my intent for the NorthPaws to play that way too.”

Francis is currently the assistant coach with Pima. A number of the players on Aztecs roster had been recruited by Anderson to play this summer for the NorthPaws already.

“It will make the job easier (familiarity with the players),” he says. “I will continue to implement a lot of things that we have here. I know those players’ strong points and weak points. We have a couple of pitchers coming up which will be very important. “

The newest NorthPaws skipper has a solid baseball background. His resume includes coaching at Maple Woods Community College (1997-1998), third place in the 1998 Junior College World Series at Grand Junction, CO. Canyon del Oro High School (2000), Assistant Coach, CDO won the 5A State Championship. Canyon del Oro High School (2001-2004), Head Coach, CDO won the 5A State Championship in 2002. Pima Community College (2005-2006), Assistant Coach.

In addition, he was an assistant coach at the University of Arizona (2007-2010) where they made Regionals three of the four years and made it to the Super Regionals in 2008 where they lost to the University of Miami.

“We are going to approach the West Coast League aggressively,” Francis adds. “We will steal a lot of bases, do a lot of hit and runs. That is West Coast baseball. That is the way we will play.”

Francis is looking forward to coaching players that he normally doesn’t see from the West Coast of North America.

‘I can’t wait to get there (to Kamloops) and see the fan base and meet them,” he adds. “As a player having fans behind you makes it fun to come to the ballpark.”

NorthPaws co-owner Norm Daley says, ““We’re really excited to be able to move on so quickly with Keith’s hire. We know that Keith has a wealth of experience and a great knowledge of players and are looking forward to another great NorthPaws season.”

Francis hopes to be in Kamloops at the end of May or early June. His arrival depends on how deep his Pima team goes in the National College World Series. They are currently ranked in the top 20 and have won 14 games in a row.

In the meantime, he will be reaching out to players who have already committed to the NorthPaws this summer and will be securing at least one assistant coach.

The North Paws went 26-27 in their inaugural West Coast League season (2022) under head coach Cole Armstrong. They wound up third in the North Division. Kamloops opens up their 2023 season Tuesday June 2nd in Victoria against the Harbour Cats. Their home opener at Dearborn Ford Field at Norbrock Stadium is Tuesday June 6th when the Portland Pickles come to town.

Ticket information and the complete schedule is available on the NorthPaws website: www.northpawsbaseball.ca.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Island Cup rivalry starts the summer for 2027 HarbourCats

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2027 WCL Schedule Released! All-star game returns, four fireworks nights, five weekends highlight HarbourCats home schedule

November 10, 2026

For immediate release

NOTE:  Single games tickets and ticket voucher exchanges are NOT YET AVAILABLE.  It is anticipated that these will be available on December 1, 2026, possibly sooner once our ticketing system has been updated. Watch for an update on this. 

VICTORIA — It won’t take long for the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls to compare notes in the heat of competition.

The two West Coast League island rivals will start the season on Tuesday, June 1, 2027, a 6:35pm start at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP — the opening of the 13th season of HarbourCats baseball in Victoria. (The team debuted in 2013, and is the longest-running baseball program of its kind in the capital city, operating continuously aside from the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.)

It’s the first time in six seasons, since the NightOwls joined in 2022, the Island teams have opened the season against each other.

“We like this schedule a lot — it will give fans lots of great weekend dates, and so many opportunities for companies and groups to gather at a HarbourCats game and enjoy each other’s company,” said GM Christian Stewart.

“Of course, we are also hosting the Showpass WCL All-Star Game (presented by Canadian Club) again, with those festivities taking place July 13-14 — the home run derby, the game, and all the other activities planned around it. Those were two amazing days last summer and it will only get bigger this second time.”

Stewart and staff are now busy building the ticketing system to fit these dates. Season tickets and packages are available, and group opportunities are now open — single-game seats will be on sale shortly, with the HarbourCats announcing that when ready using all on-line platforms.

The HarbourCats will open with a six-game North Division homestand, with Nanaimo visiting June 1-2-3 and Bellingham arriving for a weekend series, Fri-Sat-Sun June 4-5-6, that will include the first FIREWORKS NIGHT of the season on Saturday, June 5.

School Spirit games are slated for Thursday, June 3 vs. Nanaimo, and Thursday, June 17 vs. the Wenatchee AppleSox — 11am starts at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP, while a Business Nooner Getaway day is being considered for another date on the schedule.

The ever-popular Fireworks dates will be Saturday, June 5 vs. Bellingham, Wednesday, June 30 vs. Nanaimo, the traditional BC Day Monday date on August 2, with a fourth fireworks night still looking to be confirmed in mid-July.

The HarbourCats will welcome 11 different teams to Wilson’s Group Stadium in 2027 including the NightOwls, Bells, Northpaws, AppleSox, Kelowna Falcons, Edmonton Riverhawks, Ridgefield Raptors, Redmond Dudes, Victoria Mavericks and Coquitlam Angels. They will also play the SIBL All-Stars on BC Day August 2, with fireworks following, in a reprise of one of the best attended nights of 2026.

There are five weekend series on the schedule, that will include five Sunday matinee games, our Family Fun Sundays where kids can run the bases and meet the players following the game.

Victoria will go on the road to face Nanaimo, Wenatchee, Kamloops, Bellingham, Kelowna, Edmonton, and southbound to play the Bend Elks and Marion Berries (Salem, OR). It will mark the first-ever meeting between the HarbourCats and Berries.

The full 2027 HarbourCats schedule is outlined below (subject to refinement), with other promotional dates and events still to be announced.

ALL-STAR FESTIVITIES — Showpass WCL Festival, presented by Canadian Club
Tuesday, July 13, Home Run Derby, 6:35PM
Wednesday, July 14, All-Star Game, 7:00PM

VICTORIA HARBOURCATS 2027 SCHEDULE
HOME DATES
Mon-Sat, 6:35pm (except School Spirit games, 11:05am), Sunday 1:05pm

Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 1-2-3 — vs. Nanaimo NightOwls (including opening night, June 1, School Spirit on June 3)
Fri-Sat-Sun, June 4-5-6 — vs. Bellingham Bells (FIREWORKS on Saturday, June 5)
Fri-Sat-Sun, June 11-12-13 — vs. Coquitlam Angels (KIDS FREE WEEKEND!)
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 15-16-17 — vs. Wenatchee AppleSox (School Spirit on Thursday, June 17)
Mon-Tues-Wed, June 21-22-23 — vs. Redmond Dudes
Fri-Sat-Sun, June 25-26-27 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks
Wednesday, June 30 — vs. Nanaimo NightOwls (PRE CANADA DAY FIREWORKS)
Tuesday, July 6 — vs. Nanaimo NightOwls
Thursday, July 8 — vs. Nanaimo NightOwls
Tuesday, July 13 — WCL Home Run Derby
Wednesday, July 14 — WCL All-Star Game
Thursday, July 15 — vs. Victoria Mavericks
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 16-17-18 — vs. Kamloops Northpaws
Monday, August 2 — SIBL All-Stars, Fireworks for BC Day
Tues-Wed-Thurs, August 3-4-5 — vs. Kelowna Falcons
Fri-Sat-Sun, August 6-7-8 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks

ROAD DATES
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 8-9-10 — at Wenatchee
Fri-Sat-Sun, June 18-19-20 — at Kamloops
Tuesday, June 29 — at Nanaimo
Thursday, July 1 — at Nanaimo
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 2-3-4 — at Bellingham
Wednesday, July 7 — at Nanaimo
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 9-10-11 — at Kelowna
Tues-Wed-Thurs, July 20-21-22 — at Bend
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 23-24-25 — at Marion
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 30-31/Aug 1 — at Edmonton
Mon-Tues-Wed, August 9-10-11 — at Kelowna

PLAYOFF DATES
Division semifinal — August 13-14-15
Division final — August 17
WCL final — August 19

TICKETS: Season Tickets, 12 and 24-Game Flex Packs and single-game tickets (when available) are available on-line at harbourcats.com/tickets or by calling the HarbourCats office at 778-265-0327.  Fans can also purchase in person at our office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.  The office is open Tuesdays thru Friday 10AM to 4:30PM.

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE! Yes the Holiday season is right around the corner!  Mark your calendars for Thursday and Friday December 3rd and 4th and drop in to our annual Christmas Open House! Grab your tickets, look for special deals on merchandise or just come in and chat baseball and enjoy some food and drink on us! 12 PM to 7PM both days!

 

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Plenty of weekend action in 2027 NightOwls schedule

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November 10, 2026

NANAIMO, B.C. — It’s hard to boil down the 2027 Nanaimo NightOwls schedule to a few highlights — it’s a strong schedule for fans and partners, and for the players and coaches.

The sixth season of NightOwls baseball at historic Serauxmen Stadium, in the impressive West Coast League, includes ample weekend dates in both June and July, with a game on Sunday, June 20 the perfect fit for Father’s Day celebrations.

It also includes the first-ever Nanaimo visit by the South Division’s Springfield Drifters, who have not faced the Serauxmen challenge prior to this 2027 schedule — and the Drifters are the OPENING SERIES foe for the NightOwls (June 4-5-6).

“We really like what this schedule will mean for our fans and our sponsors,” said GM Tina Cornett. “There are a lot of ways we can be creative with the dates, and the travel for our players and coaches is more than workable, with just one South Division trip (to Yakima).

“We can’t wait to get seats set up for everyone, and to start lining up all the group outings that are so popular at Serauxmen Stadium. There are no long homestands, one spot in late June where we have six games in seven days, and in August we have Edmonton and Kelowna in consecutive home series.”

Season tickets, packages and group bookings are available now (email tina@nanaimonightowls.com for more information), and single-game tickets will be on sale soon.

The NightOwls open with a three-game series in Victoria, June 1-2-3, and also end on the road Aug 9-10-11 in Kamloops.

The NightOwls are planning to add another fireworks date to the offering — the ultra-popular July 1/Canada Day date (vs. the island rival Victoria HarbourCats) remains in place, but a season-opening fireworks show in the second home game of the season, Saturday, June 5, is in the works.

The NightOwls host the home opener on Friday, June 4, vs. the Springfield Drifters, starting a three-game series that ends with a Sunday matinee at 1 p.m. at Serauxmen.

The NightOwls will face the Kelowna Falcons and Edmonton Riverhawks nine times this season. Nanaimo and Victoria will also meet nine times in the 54 games, six of those in the capital city. Victoria will host the West Coast League all-star game for the second year in a row, two days of activities there July 13-14 at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.

HOME DATES, 2027
Nanaimo NightOwls, at Serauxmen Stadium
Mon-Sat games, 6:35 pm — Sunday games, 1pm

Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 4-5-6 — vs. Springfield Drifters (including planned fireworks game, Saturday, June 5)
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 11-12-13 — vs. Kamloops Northpaws
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 18-19-20 — vs. Wenatchee AppleSox (including Father’s Day, June 20)
Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, June 22-23-24 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks
Tuesday, June 29 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats
Thursday, July 1 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats (Canada Day fireworks)
Wednesday, July 7 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 9-10-11 — vs. Bellingham Bells
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 16-17-18 — vs. Coquitlam Angels
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 23-24-25 — vs. Kamloops Northpaws
Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, August 3-4-5 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, August 6-7-8 — vs. Kelowna Falcons

ROAD DATES, 2027
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 1-2-3 — at Victoria
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 8-9-10 — at Bellingham
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 15-16-17 — at Edmonton
Fri-Sat-Sun, June 25-26-27 — at Kelowna
Wednesday, June 30 — at Victoria
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 2-3-4 — at Wenatchee
Tuesday, July 6 — at Victoria
Thursday, July 8 — at Victoria
Tues-Wed-Thurs, July 20-21-22 — at Yakima Valley
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 30-31/Aug1 — at Kelowna
Mon-Tues-Wed, August 9-10-11 — at Kamloops

PLAYOFF DATES
Division semifinal — August 13-14-15
Division final — August 17
WCL final — August 19

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Victoria HarbourCats – Fall 2026 Indoor Training Clinics Now Open for Registration

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Sessions begin October 31. Register NOW!

The Victoria HarbourCats and the Edwards Family Training Centre (EFTC) are now taking individual bookings for our Fall 2026 indoor training sessions for baseball.

The “Offseason Academy“, presented by The EFTC, is designed to keep athletes sharp, confident, and improving long after the final game of summer. Built for youth players who want to stay ahead of the competition, our Academy focuses not only on technical skill development but also on the physical conditioning that keeps athletes strong and game-ready.

With a lineup of specialized camps in areas such as hitting, analytics, and general skills, athletes can train with experienced coaches, benefit from professional-level technology like HitTrax, and build the habits that matter most during the offseason.

All sessions take place in the same professional training facility used by the HarbourCats and Victoria Collegiate Cats, giving players access to a proven environment for growth and performance.

Running for eight weeks, athletes will receive 32 hours of training designed to keep their skills sharp through the winter.

2026 Fall Sessions Include:

Baseball, Foundations and Futures, $300, Saturdays, 9:00am- 12noon, October 31 thru December 19. Ages 8-11
Foundations & Futures” is a high-energy baseball camp for players aged 8–11. This camp delivers professional-grade instruction in a dynamic, fun environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and carry your skills into next season. REGISTER HERE

Baseball, High Performance Prep, $300, Saturdays, 12:30-3:30pm, October 31 thru December 19. Ages 12-16.
High Performance Prep is designed for players aged 12–16 who are ready to refine their skills and maintain peak form after summer. This camp delivers advanced instruction in a focused, competitive environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and prepare for the season ahead. REGISTER HERE

There are limited spaces in each camp so don’t delay. Register NOW!

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